Week 9 - September 9
Winner: Battlestar Galactica ("Final Cut")

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

It seems like forever since the last new episodes on Sci-Fi Friday. It's amazing what a single week off can do when your looking so much forward to the next Battlestar Galactica.

In Sg-1, we saw a beleaguered Cameron Mitchell (Ben Browder) train for a gladiatorial trial. It was basically a Cameron development episode, as the rest of the team takes a back seat to Browder's predominant plot line. Likewise, Atlantis' focus was on leading-man, Joe Flanigan. Continuing the story of the last episode, Sheppard is slowly turning into a Wraith. The story was only made successful through the efforts of Flanigan's strong performance.

Adding to its Friday dominance, however, the winner this week is Battlestar Galactica. In episode 2.8 ("Final Cut"), an inquisitive reporter (Guest star Lucy Lawless of Xena fame) is given access to document the lives and hardships of the Galactica crew. Meanwhile, a plot to kill Colonel Tigh is revealed, further destroying his emotional stability.

I like these behind the scenes kind of shows. In most cases, they appear after a few seasons--allowing the viewer to become attached to a character before they reveal their alternate personas. I think this worked in BSG's case (having only 1.5 seasons) because the cast was so very well put together. They are original, complicated, and believable characters--easily related to. It was interesting to see the cast in a relaxed, more personal light. Felix Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) in particular was shown to have a very personable nature, and we got to see some more of the lesser known cast members.

The big build up for "Final Cut" was the appearance of Lucy Lawless. I was a bit worried the warrior princess would seem out of place on a Battlestar, but she bared no resemblance to Xena. Her accent and blond hair sufficiently altered her appearance.

Memorable Scene:

Although performances were good all around, it was Michael Hogan (Tigh) that stole the show. In the episode's dramatic climax, Tigh stares down his would be assassin. He finally comes to terms with the guilt he has over the death of several civilians.

Next Week:

Sg-1 will be the big contender next week, featuring not one, but two episodes (one of them being the mid-season finale). Both look quite entertaining. Atlantis will be biding its time for next week's finale. Battlestar will definitely have some stiff competition, but its preview does look rather good. One thing is for certain, this Friday simply cannot be missed.

Standings:
Stargate Sg-1: 1
Stargate Atlantis: 2
Battlestar Galactica: 5